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Friday, July 27, 2012

My 5 Fav Teaching Items

Today I'm linking up with Teacher Idea Factory to some Rockin' Reasources I cannot live without. Woot!



1. CLASS DOJO
Class Dojo is FREE "Behavior Management Software" that I found through Pinterest last year... You have all your students listed and can add points for good behavior / subtract points for misbehaviors (and they get a cute monster icon). I use it while I have a small group and students are working independently. I project it onto my projection screen through my computer (I don't have a SmartBoard) so all students can see. If a student is working nicely, I add a point. If I notice loud voices, off task behaviors, I subtract a point. WORKS LIKE A CHARM. The kids are so stoked to see their names high lighted on the big screen for positive points that I RARELY ever have to subtract a point... Ready for the icing on the cake?? You can access it through your smartphone!! I downloaded an app onto my iPhone that allows me to add/subtract points with ease. No stopping small group and no running around to manage behaviors. It's AWESOME. There are so many other features to Class Dojo that I cannot even begin to list here so GET TO IT and CHECK IT OUT!

2. RORY'S STORY CUBES
This is a new purchase that I cannot wait to use! I've already blogged about theme here so to make a long story short, my friend Rachel A. found these at Target and I immediately ran out to purchase them! So fun to get kiddos minds churning when writing. I created story titles/ themes to use with mine so my kiddos choose a prompt, roll the dice and get to writing!




3. MARCY COOK CENTERS
At CAMT I attended a session with Marcy Cook. Before this I had no idea who she was... I know, I know, shame on me. I mentally head slapped myself when KIM SUTTON mentioned Marcy Cook inspiring here when she was a classroom teacher (I adore Kim Sutton and hang on here every math word!). After attending Marcy's session, Rachel A. and I bought the following centers: Place Value, Area & Perimeter and Hundred Chart: Missing Numbers centers. CANNOT WAIT TO USE THEM! I made my number tiles instead of purchasing them from Marcy because I KNOW this is something my kiddos are going to lose... I've made mass made them!



4. DOUBLE DICE
I have an odd obsession with dice... Perhaps it's because kids love them?? Whatever the reason, these double dice are a STAPLE in my classroom. I pretty much own all of Kim Sutton's dice and love using those as well... However, these babies have gotten the most use. I use them for creating division problems, multiplication problems, creating numbers when working with place value, and basically whatever game my brain comes up with. If you don't own double dice, get some! They're kind of loud but their multitude of uses make up for it.




5. COFFEE 
Best part of waking up? Literally, it's Folger's in my cup... I cannot teach without my vat of coffee each day. My sweet students know that I MUST have my teacher juice on hand at all time. I have even appointed a "coffee go-getter" (for when I wander off from it) and a "coffee cleaner-upper" because as my babies know, it's not IF Mrs. J is going to spill it's WHEN. My students also know if their papers have coffee spills on it, it means Mrs. J loves you!!!

7 comments:

  1. First and foremost, your site is SO cool. I absolutely LOVE your blog header :) Second, thanks so much for taking the time to link up with me. Your "teacher juice" comment cracks me up. By the photo that you posted, are you perhaps a Texan fan?? I love this team . . . always try to pick up players for my fantasy team :) Thanks again.

    Kelley Dolling
    Teacher Idea Factory

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    Replies
    1. I am a HUGE Texans fan!! Arian Foster = HUGE CRUSH! Lol.

      I'm sooooo excited for football season to start again!

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  2. I've heard of Class Dojo before but I didn't know what all it could do. Now I have to go check it out.

    Hooty's Homeroom

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  3. Ah! I have a coffee getter too! Sometimes I could even look at kids and hand signal (pretending to be drinking) and they would go find my coffee for me last year... I'm surely going to miss that group of sweeties!

    Logan
    Coffee for the Teacher

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    Replies
    1. Hahaha- my favorite classroom sign says, "this classroom is ran on lots of love and lots of coffee!"

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  4. You have so many great ideas! I am your newest follower and a fellow 4th grade teacher! I found you one Teaching Blog Addict. Come check out my blog:
    Fancy Free in Fourth

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  5. Class Dojo is my SAVIOR! Lol. I wrote about it on my blog for those who'd like to know more about how to use it:

    http://teach-on.blogspot.com/2011/12/class-management-tool-you-never-knew.html

    And here's a Parent Letter I sent out about it: http://teach-on.blogspot.com/2012/01/class-dojo-parent-letter.html

    So glad other teachers are finding it as well; it seriously rocks my socks off. :D

    I also LOVE Marcy Cook! And coffee. Lol. Also, I pinned those Rory's cubes things a long time ago but was too cheap to buy them. Maybe I should invest.

    -gayla
    Teach On.

    ReplyDelete